1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to engine refit tools, and more specifically, to techniques and tools for installing piston wrist pins and wrist pin clips with the piston installed in the engine.
2. Background of the Invention
In certain engines, in particular engines having opposed piston arrangements such as PORSCHE and some VOLKSWAGEN engines, a complete engine teardown must generally be performed when servicing pistons to replace the pistons or install rings, or when making modifications to the bore of the cylinders and pistons. (PORSCHE and VOLKSWAGEN are trademarks of Volkswagen AG.) Since the crankshaft is not accessed from the bottom, but from the center of the engine, access to installing fully assembled piston/rod assemblies is not available from the bottom of the engine, as can be done for other engine types.
The pistons in the above-described engines are typically pre-assembled to the piston rods using a wrist pin that fits through wrist pin apertures through the piston and rod and secured at each end by a wrist pin clip that expands to snap in a groove in the wrist pin apertures and that prevents the wrist pin from sliding with respect to the piston once the wrist pin is installed. The above assembly process is typically performed prior to attaching the rod to the crankshaft after sliding the piston into the cylinder from the ends of the engine.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide a method and tool for installing pistons to the rods while the rods are in the engine and after the rods are connected to the crankshaft.